When it come to busting up grease and dirt, few things work better than soap, thanks to the amazing structure of soap molecules! These molecules work by having two very different sides. One side is an oxygen (O) ion loosely hanging on to a sodium (Na) or potassium (K) ion. An ion is an electrically charged atom or group of atoms. Because this end is very similar to water molecules (H2O) it can mix well with water. The other end is a long chain of carbon and hydrocarbon (H) atoms linked together.

As hot weather creeps towards Oregon, the thoughts of many turn to usual summer pastimes: swimming, hiking, barbeques, and of course, ice cream! Beyond the love affair with our taste buds, there’s a lot of cool science behind this sweet treat. Keep reading to learn what makes ice cream so sweet and smooth, and how you can make it at home without any fancy equipment!

As the weather gets colder, fingers get frosty. Most chemical hand warmers are single use and take a while to warm up. But it's easy to make an instant, reusable hot pack with two simple ingredients: baking soda and vinegar. Follow the recipe below to make your own at home!